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PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Dec.24, 2008) – Tongan King George Tupou V's Coronation Exhibition was officially opened on December 22 by Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku'aho at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in Nuku'alofa.

The exhibition of Royal Regalia including the Crown of Tonga and the Coronation Robes was organised by the Lord Chamberlain's office and the public admission fees will go to a Coronation Charity Trust to help lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes.

Hon. Fanetupouvava'u Tu'ivakano explained that the exhibition was "a vision of His Majesty."

She told a gathering of Law Lords and friends of the Royal Family at the opening that the artistic works exhibited "show images of modern Tonga a country balancing between tradition and modernity, a country whose...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Dec. 25. 2008) – American Samoa’s governor, Togiola Tulafono, has told a community meeting that dengue fever remains a serious threat in the Territory.

The meeting was called by the Director of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and the American Samoa Community College Land Grants to lay out a plan to fight dengue.

To date the LBJ Hospital has recorded 645 confirmed cases of dengue fever this year.

Plans by the agencies to tackle the problem includes a clean up and multi media publicity campaign to promote the three Ds to combat dengue.

Governor Togiola told the organisers they needed to start from the grassroots up not the other way around.

He also says action needs to be taken now.

"This is a serious threat and you guys are treating like we can take our time at it and it’s not going to be a serious problem to next year, forget it, this...

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Dec. 25, 2008) – The United Nations said Wednesday it has agreed to work with the Commonwealth in mediating a political dialogue in military-ruled Fiji to pave the way for a return to democracy.

"The Secretary General has written to the interim government of Fiji to accept its request for the United Nations to work jointly with the Commonwealth in mediating a political dialogue aimed at reaching an agreement on the timing and modalities of a parliamentary election to return Fiji to full democracy," a UN statement noted.

The statement said the move followed a recent mission to Fiji by a team of the UN department of political affairs, which met with key political actors and found "a widely-shared willingness to engage as soon as possible in a dialogue to be mediated by the United Nations and the Commonwealth."

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Dec. 28, 2008) – Less that a week after Asian Airlines welcomed its inaugural Osaka-Saipan flight, Northwest Airlines has announced it will be stopping its own service on the route to the Northern Marianas starting from March next year.

Northwest Airlines Guam and Saipan general manager Richard Parsons told the Saipan Tribune the route would be suspended in response to the global economic recession and softening customer demand.

But Mr Parsons said the decision to suspend the service does not mean that Northwest Airlines has lost faith in the CNMI as a destination for tourists from Japan.

He said daily service would continue from Nagoya and Narita as would the one stop service from Osaka via Narita.

Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio said the shelving of the route was a blow to the Commonwealth’s tourism industry.

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, Dec. 29, 2008) – The New Zealand Government has revealed the expulsion of acting High Commissioner Caroline McDonald has made them review its position here.

Speaking to the media in New Zealand, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said there would not be any immediate moves to appoint a new commissioner because of the current environment in Fiji.

"This time around we would have to think quite carefully about why we would want to send somebody into an environment where, on the current track record, there's a high chance of them simply being sent home again," Mr. Murray said.

"After the Pacific Leaders' Forum meeting on January 27, we will get a feel for whether things are going to improve or not and that will give us some guidance as to how we should see the way forward."

It is the third time in New Zealand's history that a diplomat has been expelled from their station and the second...

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Dec. 28, 2008) – Australia’s Government has branded as unhelpful and destructive a decision by Fiji's interim Government to expel Canberra's South Pacific Defence Adviser.

The unnamed official had been in Suva on a visitor visa awaiting a decision by the interim Government on his long-term visa status.

Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon told The Australian newspaper: "The interim (Fiji) Government has indicated that no visa will be granted.

"This is an important position, not only in relation to Fiji but also to the four other Pacific island countries, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Nauru, all close neighbours of Fiji, to which the defence adviser position is credited," he said.

"This is unhelpful and destructive behaviour by the Fiji interim Government, which should instead be focusing all of its efforts on returning Fiji to democracy - as it had promised to do."

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Dec. 29, 2008) – Spring tides or king tides are expected to occur throughout the country towards the end of this month and early next month.

The Director of the National Disaster Centre (NDS) Martin Mose said according to the National Weather Service’s (NDS) warning issued yesterday, the spring tides are expected to occur throughout Papua New Guinea’s coastal waters.

Mr. Mose said this is expected to occur from January 7 to 14 and urged communities along the coastal areas to take extra precautions during this period.

He said the people living along the coastlines should identify and high er ground and safest routes to the higher grounds when the high tides are experienced.

"Make it a habit to listen to radio or watch the television for any warnings that may be issued by authorities such as the NDS Office," Mose said.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Dec. 28, 2008) – China and Papua New Guinea yesterday signed two banking agreements covering K7.5 million [US$2.9 million] in separate grant aid that was agreed between the two governments last year and this year.

Also yesterday, Chinese Ambassador Wei Ruixing handed over the Kandep Agriculture College project in Enga, which was funded by the Chinese government, to the PNG Government.

The signing took place at Vulupindi Haus in Waigani between the secretary of the Department of National Planning Joseph Lelang and Mr Wei.

Mr. Lelang said that the two agreements were for two separate grant aid already agreed and signed by the governments of PNG and China on March 30 last year for 4.3 million yuan [US$629,000) and for 10 million yuan [US$1.4 million) last Sept 6.

He also acknowledged the hand-over certificate of the Kandep Agriculture College project...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.